“Governor Romney, when you become the presidential nominee for one of our two great political parties, you enter into a sacred trust with the American people, to honestly represent your plans for America so that they can make a clear, reasoned choice.

John McCain, George W. Bush, his father, Bob Dole, Ronald Reagan — all of them had the courage and decency to put your party’s ideas forward honestly so that Americans could make a clear choice in a contest of ideas. But you are depriving Americans of that same chance by not being honest and constantly changing your story.

You, Governor, have big, audacious ideas, ideas I don’t agree with, just like I didn’t agree with President Bush’s or Senator McCain’s ideas. But they are your ideas. Unfortunately, you lack the courage those men displayed because you won’t honestly present your ideas to the American people and let them pass judgement. Instead, you are misrepresenting both your ideas and mine, trying to confuse Americans about what they are voting for. And that breaks the sacred trust that has existed between the American people and every Republican presidential candidate since Abraham Lincoln campaigned on a platform of free soil, free people and an indivisible union.

Americans need a clear choice in this crucial election. And they will have one, if you can find the courage to be honest with them. And let them make their choice based on the two competing visions we are offering this country.

But if you won’t do that, the American people have reminded me in the past week that it is my responsibility, as their president, to tell them what you really stand for and why the stakes are so high. And that is a responsibility I won’t shirk, even if you shirk your responsibilities as the GOP’s nominee.”